Meet Kajaanie, a 3rd year Economics Student at Royal Holloway and President of the 93% Club at RHUL, a national charity that aims to help students from working-class and state-school backgrounds.
Please tell us a little bit about yourself
My name is Kajaanie Kunanayagam, a final year Politics, Philosophy and Economics student. I am president of the 93% Club at Royal Holloway. We are part of a national charity that aims to help students from working-class and state-school backgrounds. I am passionate about sociomobility and diversity in education systems.
Why did you choose to study Economics at Royal Holloway and what have you enjoyed the most about your course?
I chose to study Economics in a joint honours degree as I enjoy the flexibility Royal Holloway offers. The department itself is incredibly accommodating to your interests and you have the chance to tailor your choices to what you want to do across several departments. For example, my Topics in Development Economics module intersects well with Politics in South Asia as they both discuss post-colonisation and the impact of ethnic divides. This has helped me build a critical mind and grow my perspective on the world.
Tell us about your personal experience of being part of the Economics community as a close-knit group of staff and students?
The Economics community at Royal Holloway is very supportive. Everyone is really friendly and genuinely happy to help. The department runs regular termly networking events for different years to help us connect with each other. The staff are also your biggest cheerleaders, they really want you to succeed and will point you to the right opportunities!
Tell us about the 93% Club, its mission, and your own involvement.
The 93% Club is a national charity that aims to help students from a disadvantaged background, state schools or working-class background. As a first-gen student from a working-class background, the charity really resonated with me. By raising awareness, we can build a community that support each other. I became involved in second year as publicity and marketing officer, running the Instagram. I am now president and we have hosted a range of events from a panel talk with the London Stock Exchange to a collaboration with the Civil Service. We also host socials to create that all important sense of community.
How, in your view, more students from state schools and girls in particular be encouraged to study economics?
I believe that more state schools need to encourage their students from a younger age. I believe that the choices should be presented to girls through schemes. This includes doing more community outreach and workshops. I believe economics has this stigma of being a stereotypical "boy" subject and to break that it is important to have more prominent role models in economics. For me personally, I was lucky to have an inspiring Economics teacher during school who really pushed me to pursue it at university.
What are your top tips for students thinking of joining RHUL to study economics in September?
My top tip would be to keep an open mind. Your interests will change and take advantage of all the opportunities presented to you to explore them. I would also encourage you to engage with the Economics department throughout your studies and ask for feedback on your work. I would also say to join societies that align with your values!
